Everyone enjoys receiving a surprise in the post - provided it's not another bill. But a woman from Sheffield has been left feeling 'creeped out' after a stranger sent her a cryptic message that looks like a 'cheat code for life'.
Taking to Reddit, a user explained how his friend received a bizarre letter through her door, with her home address written on it but not her name. He said: "Someone I know got sent this through the post addressed to her house but no name. She's more than a bit creeped out. She reported it [to the police]. It was new for them as well. I think it's a case of 'hope this is the first and last of it'."
The bizarre code is written across the front and back of the envelope and continues on a piece of paper inside.
It appears to be a string of unrelated words with numbers and symbols thrown in at random.
Part of the letter reads: "Lochart (C) Monster-trawler Sponsor (C) Spencer Tracey (C) Curse snatcher (C) Captain cook ku (C) 0.S.O.S.H. (c) Dirty Dentist 9C) Captain Cncer (C) MI19 (c) Kali Tachurch (C) PS (C)"
Baffled by the contents of the letter, the man took to Reddit to see if anyone could decipher the message.
He was surprised to learn others in Sheffield have been receiving similar letters to their homes and workplaces.
One user said: "I am in Sheffield and got one sent to my work! I know someone else in Sheffield who got one. Really keen to see if anyone can figure out what it means."
Another user added: "A friend of mine's workplace also got one of these in Sheffield."
A third user said: "My boyfriend got one sent to his work in Sheffield city centre a couple of months ago too! I think they reported it to the police."
While most users tried to figure out the meaning of the code, others questioned why somebody would send out such a bizarre series of letters.
One user said: "I’m fairly confident this will turn out to be written by someone with a delusional disorder.
"There are several references to dentistry (teeth often make sounds to a person hearing voices).
"A reference to MI19 - a Ministry of Intelligence branch from WW2 charged with obtaining information from prisoners (this person is probably detained in hospital right now).
"Lou Grade (probably Lord Lou Grade) who's last movie was about a dying woman who travelled to Italy to find a magic statue that could heal her.
"There’s likely a whole host of other 'hidden' aspects of this persons deluded psyche in this message."
In response, another user said: "Having worked in psychiatry, I’m almost certain you are right.
"It seems so random because it is written by someone with a thought disorder.
"It appears cryptic but there is no code that a logical mind can unpack."
One more added: "Looks similar to some of the stuff I've seen people with Schizophrenia write in hospital.
"Doesn't really mean anything, more of a stream of consciousness based around a particular delusion or episode they're struggling with.
"Often some sort of conspiracy or secret knowledge that they believe they've discovered that they think have to perform some sort of action to affect - i.e send a letter with these special codes on to this address, or flash a code with a torch out the window,
"Definitely could be the case that a patient somewhere her mother works has heard/seen an address and incorporated that information into a delusion they're suffering from."
Have you received an unusual letter in the post? Email paige.freshwater@reachplc.com.
